Method of controlling combustion.



lvirnaoaeo No. 759,038. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904. H. F. SMITH.

METHOD OF CONTROLLING GOMBUSTION.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 24, 1903.

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No. 759,038. PATENTBD MAY v3, 1904. H. F. SMITH. METHOD OF CONTROLLING COMBUSTION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

51M uenfoz mmm eo z No. 759,038. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904. H. P. SMITH. METHOD OF CONTROLLING COMBUSTION.

APPLICATION FILED nov. 24. 1903.

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STATES nun Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT OiTI cE;

HARPER F. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFIGATION formin g part of Letters Patent No. 759,038, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed November 24, 1908, Serial No. 182,540. (No model.)

To (ti/Z whom 21/; In/(Ly cove/corn:

Be it known that 1, HARPER 1 SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Controlling Combustion, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method of controlling combustion in a vapor-burning apparatus.

It comprises a method of utilizing the pressure of the vapor generated by the heat of a burner to control combustion---(a) by regulating the How of vapor to the burner, (1)) by regulating the flow of liquid to the vaporizing device and the flow of vapor to the burner, (a) by cutting'ol'i' both the flow of liquid to the vaporizing device and the How of vapor to the burner, ((Z) by cutting oil the flow of liq-- uid to the vaporizing device and the flow of vapor to the burner in the order named, (11) by cutting off the flow of liquid to a preheating device.

1 have shown in the accompanyingdrawings some forms of construction by which my invention may be utilized.

l igures 1 and 3, partly in elevation, partly in vertical section, represent lamps provided with means for practicing my method. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section, on an enlarged scale,of the controlling device shownin Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 designates a reservoir of a vapor-lamp. 2 designates a vaporizer or generator in which, after the lamp is in operation, the liquid hydrocarbon or fuel, hereinafter designated as an oil, is vaporized. 3 designates a superheater or regenerator in which such vapor is superheated and from which it is discharged through the outlet'orilice t into a commingling-tube 5, leading to the burners 6. 7 designates a preheating or starting device wherein a temporary (lame maybe generated to heat the parts 2 and Suitably supported at a convenient distance from the reservoir 1 is a governorcasing 8, in which is a fluid-inlet 9, connected by a tube 10 with the reservoir 1 and opening into an inlet-chamber 11, beneathwhich is an outlet-chamberl2,havingafluid-outlet13,con nected by a tube 14 to the generator 2 and by a second. tube 15, in which is a cock 16, to the starter 7. \Vithin the chamber 11 and extending substantially above the inlet 9 is astrainer, shown as a perforate or reticulate tube 17, surrounded by a sleeve 18, which may be of any desired fabric. Between the chambers 11 and 12 is a valve-seat .19, against which rests a valve 20, having an iipwardly-extending tubular stem 21 and a downwardly-extending por tion 22, serving as a guide for a thrust-spring 23, which bears against the valve 20. From the upper tube of the generator 2 rises a tube 24, in which is a cock or valve 25, to a dome 26 on the reservoir 1, from which a tube 27 leads to a vapor-inlet 28, connnnnicating with a va- 1' orchan1l')er 29 in the casing 8. A. second tube 30, provided with a cock 31, also conuects the generator 2 with the chamber 29. From the 'apor-chamber 29 rises a tubular portion forming a passage 36, above which is a diaphragm-box 37, the upper end of which is closed by a cap 38. A rod 39 moves freely in the passage 36 and, as shown, passes through a diaphragnrehamber a0, to the upper shell of which it is tightly secured. To the lower shell of the chamber 40 is secured a collar 41, so that the diaphragm-chamber communicates with the passage 36. A thrustspring 42 extends between the diaphragmcasing 10 and the cap 38. Attached to the lower end of the rod 39 is a fitting 43, from which depends a second rod 44:, the lower threaded end of which slides smoothly on the tubular stem 21 of the valve 20. Lock-nuts are placed on the rod E1, the function of which will hereinafter appear. Pivotally or otherwise attached to the fitting 13 is the stem 16 of a valve &7, which controls the port to the regeuerator 8.

The operation is as follows: By momentarily opening cook 16 in tube 15 a small amount of oil is introduced into the preheater or starter 7, the valve beingnormallyopen. The heat produced by the combustion of this oil vapor-izes that contained in the generator 2, the vapor ilowing to the vapor-chainber 29 in the governor 8 either throngl'i the tube 2%, dome 26, and tube 27 or directly through the tube to the vapor-chan'iber 29 of the governor 8. I have provided these two means of communication"between the generator and the vapor-chamber to insure a free flow of vapor at all times. The vapor flowing through either or both of these tubes into the chamber i 29 normally flows out through the tube 48 to the regenerator 3, where it is highly superheated and whence it is forced through the orifice 4. The rushing vapor acts to draw air into the commingling-tube 5, the mixed air and vapor passing to and being consumed in the burners 6. As the diaphragm-chamber 4L0 communicates, through the passage 36, with the chambers 11 and 29 of the governor, any excess above a predetermined pressure therein will expand the diaphragm and raise the rod 39, fitting 4E3, rod a4, and valve-stem e6. This permits the spring 28 to close the oileontrolling valve 20, whereby the supply to the generator 2 is temporarily cut off. Any further excess of pressure beyond the point of cutting off the flow of oil will cause further expansion of the diaphragm-chamber i0 and force valve 17 to its seat. This shuts off the flow of vapor to regenerator 3 and extinguishes flame. By adjusting the lock-nuts 45 on the rod 14: the relative motion of the valves 17 and 20 may be accurately determined, while the action of the double device is controllable by varying the pressure on the compressionspring 12 through the cap 38. It is evident that a reduction of pressure in the governor 8 through combustion of the vapor at the burners 6 will permit the spring 12 to reopen the oil-inlet valve 20 and the vapor-outlet valve 47 to the desired extent.

It will be seen that the governing device provides a simple, efficient, and unitarymeans of controlling the entire flow of both oil and vapor, both of which necessarily pass therethrough. The oil entering at 9 passes through a strainer 17 18, thence past the valve 20 to the outlet 13. The vapor from the generator 2 may either pass upward tothe reservoir, thence to the vapor-chamber in the governor, or, conversely, it may pass first to the governor, thence to the reservoir. In any case it can only reach the point of combustion by first passing the valve &7, which acts as a safety-valve to modify or entirely out off the How when the pressure rises above a predetermined point.

It will be seen that my device is equally eflicient to control the flow of oil to the preheating device. If too much oil should be permitted to flow thereinto or if the cock 16 should leak, the flame issuing from the mouth of the tube 7 would produce an excess of vapor-pressure in the generator 2, which would of course act to close the valve 20, as before described.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, 51 designates a reservoir for a liquid hydrocarbon, from which a tube 52, having a check-valve 53, leads to a vaporizer 5%. From the vaporizer a tube 55 leads to a casing 56, shown as mounted on the reservoir and communicating therewith by a passage 57. From the casing 56 a tube 58 leads to a superheater 59. Highly-heated vapor from the superheater passes from the exit-orifice 60 to the mixing-tube 61, thence to the burner 62. heating device 68 is shown as located below the vaporizer 5e and superheater 59 and connected by a valved tube 64 with the reservoir 51. Above the casing 56 is an extension 65, within which is mounted a diaphragm-cham ber 66, the stem 67 of which passes freely through a neck 68 into the casing 56. Near thelower end of thestem 67 are two laterallyprojecting arms 69 70. The apertured outer end of the arm 69 rides over the stem 71 of a valve 72, by which the flow of the vapor from the vaporizer 5a to the casing 56 is controlled. A collar 73 is secured on the valve-stem 71 below the arm 69. A thrust-spring 7 L bears against the collar 7 3 and tends to close the valve 72. The outer end of the other arm, 70, is secured to a valve-stem 75, whose valve 76 closes the outlet from the casing 56 to the tube 58, leading to the superheater 59. A spring 77 normally depresses the arm 7 O and holds the valve 76 from its seat. Above the diaphragm-chamber 66 is a thrust-spring 7 8,0perative to reduce the size of the chamber 66, and hence to depress the stem 67. The action of the spring 78 is regulable by an adjustingscrew 79, by which the desired pressure is secured.

The operation of the governor or vaporcontrolling device is as follows: The vapor generated in the vaporizer 54: by reason of the heat developed either in the preheater 63 or the burners 62 normally rises through the tube to the chamber 56, the valve 72 being kept open by the force of the spring 78, which is set to over-balance the valve-spring 74. This vapor passes freely through the tube 58 to the superheater 59, whence it is mixed with air in the tube 61 and fed to the burners 62. It will be noted that the liquid hydrocarbon flows to the vaporizer 5 1 from the reservoir 51 through the tube 52. Should too much heat at any time be generated by the burners 62, whereby an excess vapor-pressure would be produced in. the casing 56, it is evident that this pressure being admitted to the interior of the diaphragm-chamber 66 will expand the diaphragm-ehamber and raise the stem 67. This permits the spring 7 4 to seat the valve 72 and reduces or cuts ofi the flow of vapor into the casing 56. The vapor already in the casing and in the upper part of the reservoir 51 will be fed to the superheater 59 until the excess pressure is exhausted. W hen the pressure returns to the normal, the diaphragm 66 will contract and the valve 72 will reopen. This releases the vapor-cushion in the vaporizer 54 and tube 55, which per- A starting or primary mits the hydrocarbon to flow into the vaporizer 54, when the generation of vapor is re sumed. it Will be noted that the vapor retained in the tube 55 and vaporizer 5 L forms an effective cushion to prevent any further flow of liquid hydrocarbon through the tube 52 while the valve 72 is closed. Ilf the valve 72 at any time fails to operate properly or if a great excess of pressure should be generated, a further expansion of the diaphragm 66 Will close the exit-valve 76 and immediately extinguish the flame, whereby further generation of vapor is of course prevented. It Will be seen that this form of construction differs from that first dcscri bed in that the governor in the present device is operative to control the flow of vaporized hydrocarbon alone. The feed of the liquid from the reservoir to the vaporizer through the tube 52 is normally free and unobstructed, though for convenience a manually-operated valve 53 may be inserted in the tube. On the other hand, the flow of vapor from the generator to the point of combustion-in this case to the lighting-burners through the superheating and mixing devices-is automatically controlled by means operative by the heat of combustion itself.

The forms of device herein described are similar to those shown in my pending applications, Serial No. 163,303, dated June 27, 1903, and Serial No. 177,553, dated October 19, 1903, the former of which is a division of my application for a vapor-lamp, Serial No. 154,970, dated April 30, 1903.

It is evident that the method herein described and claimed'may be practiced through other forms of construction and for other purposes than those herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of controlling combustion in a vapor-burning apparatus, which comprises utilizing the heat ot a vapor-burner to generate a further supply of vapor therefor, conlining such vapor to produce pressure and utilizing such pressure to limit the liow of liquid to the vaporizing device and to limit the flow of vapor fromthe place of generation to the burner.

52. The method of controlling combustion in a vapor-burning apparatus, which comprises utilizing the heat of a vapor-burner to generate a further supply of vapor therefor, coulining such vapor to produce pressure and utilizing the pressure caused by the volume of generated vapor in excess of that required for such combustion to limit the flow of liquid to the generating device and to limit the flow of vapor from the place of generation to the burner.

23. The method of controlling combustion in a vapor-burning apparatus, which comprises utilizing the heat of a vapor-burner to generate a further supply of vapor therefor, conlining such vapor to produce pressure and utilizing the pressure caused by the volume of generated vapor in excess of that required for such combustion primarily to cut oil" the flow of liquid to the vaporizing device and secondarily to cut off the flow of vapor from the place of generation to the burner.

HARPER F. SMlTl-l. Witnesses Gno. L. (loornu, (J. D. McVAY. 

